Vitalant and UPMC Expand Partnership to Advance Cell and Gene Therapy Initiatives
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Vitalant, a leading national blood and biotherapies services provider, is deepening its partnership with UPMC, a world-renowned healthcare organization, to support and enhance the health system’s cell and gene therapy initiatives through medical leadership and laboratory operations.
As part of this collaboration, Vitalant’s Executive Medical Director for Biotherapies, Kevin Land, M.D., is serving as the interim medical director for UPMC's Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) lab. Playing a critical role in stem cell transplantation, the lab is recognized for its FACT, College of American Pathologists (CAP), and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) accredited services.
Dr. Land will provide strategic medical oversight and guide the lab’s evolution during this pivotal transition. His interim leadership will focus on strengthening clinical operations, aligning the lab’s capabilities with emerging demands for cell and gene therapy, and laying the foundation for long-term growth. As part of this process, he will also lead a global search for a permanent medical director to ensure continuity and excellence in the lab’s future direction.
“The HSC lab specializes in the collection, analysis, processing, and storage of human stem cells for potential therapeutic use in stem cell transplantation and is an integral part of the bone marrow transplant program,” said Abbie Mallon, vice president, UPMC Laboratory Service Center. “Expanding the UPMC and Vitalant partnership will allow us to continue to offer these important services while we think strategically about growth and innovation in this highly specialized field.”
“This partnership underscores our collective dedication to advancing medical services and innovations in transplant and cell and gene therapy,” said Becky Cap, senior vice president of biotherapies for Vitalant. “Vitalant’s clinical operations support aims to address both the clinical and logistical challenges in this innovative field.”
“Vitalant is committed to supporting the advancements in cell and gene therapy, starting with hematopoietic stem cell transplants and extending to next-generation therapies,” said Dr. Land. “I’m thrilled to provide support on an interim basis, while partnering to identify the best medical leader for this role long-term.”
This new physician position will also hold a part-time faculty position, collaborating closely with UPMC faculty and staff to ensure the growth and support of the lab’s initiatives.
Vitalant and UPMC have a long history of partnering. Vitalant provides blood products, transfusion services, and coagulation testing to UPMC’s main Pittsburgh campus and other locations across western Pennsylvania. Nationwide, Vitalant supports more than 900 hospital and healthcare organizations.
About Vitalant
Vitalant is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organizations, providing hospitals and patients across the U.S. a safe blood supply, specialized laboratory services, transfusion medicine expertise and world-renowned research. Vitalant’s biotherapies program addresses a critical gap in the rapidly evolving cell and gene therapy landscape, bridging the space between patient needs and the current capabilities of the healthcare environment. We connect hospitals, therapeutic developers and patients, enabling the delivery of care to the communities where patients live. Learn more at biotherapies.vitalant.org.
About UPMC
UPMC is a world-renowned, nonprofit health care provider and insurer committed to delivering exceptional, people-centered care and community services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh and affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC is shaping the future of health through clinical and technological innovation, research, and education. Dedicated to advancing the well-being of our diverse communities, we provide nearly $2 billion annually in community benefits, more than any other health system in Pennsylvania. Our 100,000 employees — including more than 5,000 physicians — care for patients across more than 40 hospitals and 800 outpatient sites in Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland, as well as overseas. UPMC Insurance Services covers more than 4 million members, providing the highest-quality care at the most affordable price. To learn more, visit UPMC.com